Shuttle drive mechanism for looms



Oct. 10, 1944. D. c. CHURCHILL 2,360,050

SHUTTLE DRIVE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed April 9, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1 VENTOR. F144 f Z6 QWQQM v BY www D. c. CHURCHILL 2,360,050

SHUTTLE DRIVE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Oct. l0, 1944.

Filed April 9, 1941 3 Shets-Sheet 2 af e -A- Oct. 10, 1944. D, C CHURCl-LL 2,360,050

SHUTTLE DRIVE MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed April 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @w Q @MR MTF A Patented Oct. 10, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'f y 2,360,050 l snU'rTLE DRIVE MEoHANIsM Fon LooMs David C. Churchill, Berea, Ky. Appiicaiipn April 9, 1941, serial No. 387,670

15 Claims.

My invention relates to looms and relates particularly to shuttle drives therefor.

An object of my invention is to reduce the friction of contact of the shuttle upon impact at each end of the shuttle race in order to minimize energy loss.

Another object of my invention is to store the energy which has been reserved upon the shuttle achieving its home or fully stopped position,

whereby the major partof said energy is returned to the shuttle for the return flight thereof.

Another object of my invention is to secure the useful purposes of my invention, as described and claimed in co-pending application, which issued into Letters Patent No. 2,261,873, dated November 4, 1941, and which has been designated as my bow-string case, in a shuttle-receiving mechanism of the cam type. l

Certain other objects of my invention are gains in efficiency and in power saving and still other objects will become apparent from a'purvlew of the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a ily shuttle mechanism which is the rst embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the shuttle receiving portions and the shuttle of Fig. 1,k said shuttle being shown approaching-its home position;

Fig. 3 is a view taken from the plane 3-3 of 30 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2, but showinfrthe shuttle as starting its outward flight;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a shuttle receiving portic-n of another embodiment of my invention; the shuttle being shown as approaching contact with said shuttle receiving device:

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but the shuttle in this figure is illustrated in a further advanced position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to those shown in Figs. 5 and 6 showing the shuttle in its home or AFully stopped position and illustrating the final position of the shuttle receiving device of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the shuttle box showing an association with the source of power drive; and

Fig. 9 is an end view of the shuttle box showing another embodiment of my invention, which essentially consists of a duplication of the shuttle receiving device of Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive.

The shuttle drive of the present invention is adapted to either a power loom or to a manually or foot driven loom, and accordingly in the drawings and particularly in Fig. 1. Reference is hereby made to any well known loom structure for the other parts of a loom, and may be particularly made to my prior patents, Nos. 1,858,482

5 and 2,261,873, for showings of various loom constructions to which my present invention is adapted.

lIn the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the ying shuttle A is received and stopped by a 10 pair of plate cams I 0 which, on being forced apart by the shuttle against the action 'of a spring device S, absorb the kinetic energy of the shuttle and convert it into potential energy stored in the spring. Subsequently, this potential 'energy is reconverted into kinetic energy on propelling the shuttle to the opposite side of the loom. At each cycle, additional energy is introduced into the spring device S, to replace that lost through friction, by a timed power device later more fully described.

Referring to the drawings, andparticularly to lines in Fig. 2 Where their further approach is limited by stop pins I 3. The cams are urged forcibly toward each other by the spring device Sv so as to be pulled upon vertically by the shorter arm of a bellcrank I8 pivotally secured at I9 to an extension I9 of the frame 20 of the lay, the cables I4 being secured to the shorter arm of the bell crank. As seen in Fig. 1, the spring device S, which may conveniently be composed of a S is anchored to a lever 22 through a second y pivotal connection at 23.

The cams I0 are adapted to receive the swiftly moving shuttle with no appreciable amount of shock. To this end, the shuttle is fitted ,with

5o ball bearing rollers 25 and their first contact with the cams is on a surface very nearly parallel to their line of approach, in the region designated by a in Fig. 2. Upon further entry of the shuttle, the cams are wedged apart as the rollers engage the curved surface b, thus storing energy in the spring device S. As the rollers approach the point C of the curve, the kinetic energy has been nearly completely absorbed and just as the shuttle is coming to a stop, the surface of the cams changes rather abruptly into a region d, constituting a dwell on the cam.

The shuttle comes to rest against a positive stop, illustrated at 28, which may be suitably padded as at 21 to minimize shock. The parts are now in the broken line position of Fig. 2 wherein the cam plates are swung to their extreme outer positions and the shuttle rollers 25 engage the regions d Voi the cam surfaces. To retain the shuttle against the stop until the time for its release, the cams in this region are preferably formed with a slight reverse taper, as indicated by the broken lines of Fig. 2. d

The cam plates are preferably madeas light in weightas practicable to reduce their inertia and thus increase their eiiiciency in energy transference by reducing stress and its consequent increases in strength of parts, friction, etc. To this end,'they may be formed as shown, as an open framework supporting the actual' cam track b. The plates are, in turn, supported by slotted members 30 rigid withthe shuttle race and frame of the lay of the loom. To confine the shuttle to a rectilinear path, the usual guides 3i are provided at either side of the shuttle race.

It is to be understood, of course, that the mechanism described may be duplicated at the opposite side of the loom, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the shuttle carrying a pair of rollers 25 at each end for contact with the respective pairs of cam plates. l

At the proper time in the cycle of operation, the shuttle is ejected from the mechanism at one side of the loom with sufficient force to cross the shuttle race and engage that on the other side. To effect this ejection, the stop 26is caused to move inwardly a short distance, pushing the shuttle until the rollers pass the point c and engage the start of the curve b. 'I'he forces ekerted by the` cams upon the rollers are nowin oblique directions, the components transverse to the shuttle race cancelling each other but the components parallel thereto adding together to force the shuttle ahead. As the shuttle accelerates in speed, the cams also approach each other with a greater and greater speed and the net result is that the shuttle is snapped forward and across the loom at a high velocity.

The curve of the cam plates may take various forms depending on the particular mode of acceleration desired, that shown in the drawings being one form which is applicable. The action upon the shuttle is very similar to that upon a slippery melon seed, for example, when the seed is gripped between the thumb and index finger and then, on applying pressure, is projected precipitately into space. In this case, the fingers correspond to the cam plates and by squeezing the seed initially in its central, parallel sided region, corresponding to regions d on the curves, a comparatively high potential energy can be produced. After this, by rolling the ngers slightly, contact is made on the gradually tapering end of the seed, corresponding to the rollers 25 being advanced past the point c, and the stored energy is released as the tapering end slips out from between `the forcibly approaching lingers,

. the velocity of the seed being many times that of the lingers themselves.

It will be noted that the curve in the case of Y the melon seed is that of the seed itself Whereas in the drawings herein a roller on the shuttle traverses a curve on the cam plate, but itis also within the teaching of this invention to vso arrange the parts that a spring pressed roller may act upon a properly curved shuttle.

As previously mentioned, additionalenergy must be supplied, during each cycle to replace that lost through friction. With the energy absorbing and storing mechanism of this invention, this loss is only a very slight percentage of the total and maybe conveniently replaced by a slight additional stretching of the spring S. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that each spring device is anchored at 2l to a lever 22, pivoted on the frame at l0. The ends 4I of the levers are connected by a tension'cord 42 and through the latter are reciprocated by an arm 43 on a timed driving shaft 44 which may be driven by a motor or by hand or foot power through mechanism, not shown. By thus rocking the lever 22 inwardly toward the center of the loom, the spring device; S is stretched a slight amount and this amount may be adjusted by varying the position of the pivotal connection 22 in relation to the pivot 40, as by means of a slot I5.

The movement of the shuttle stop 26 is also obtained from the rocking of lever 22. The slide bar 50, as illustrated in part in Figs. 2 and 3, the showing being continued by the dotted lines indicated at 50 in Fig. l, carries the shuttle stop 2l and is hingedly connected to the downwardly extending lever 41 which is pivoted to the frame 20 at 48. At its lower end, the lever 41 is hingedly connected to the reciprocatory bar 4S joined tov the upper end of the rock lever 22 which receives its motion through the instrumentality of the motor mechanisms 42 and Il through cords 42. The arrangement oi the parts is such that during the latter portion of the inward rocking of lever 22, and after the spring device S has been thereby additionally tensioned, the stop 2B will move the shuttle from its idle position into contact with the driving portion of the cam plates, as illustrated in Fig 4. i

The various parts are shown in Fig. 1 in the positions they assume immediately upon the arrival of the shuttle at its right hand home position. The shuttle has spread the cam plates I0 apart, thus pulling the cables I4 inwardly to rock the bellcrank I8 and stretch the spring device and the shuttle is in contact with the stop 25 and at rest. The various parts at the left hand side of the' loom are in the position they assume immediately upon the ejection of the shuttle. The lever 22 has been rocked inwardly additionally stretching the spring device S, the stop 28 has been drawn inwardly to start the shuttle, and the spring device has contracted to rock the bellcrank I8 and pull the cables I4 downwardly to bring the cam plates Il together against their inner stops. i

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, the cam surface which coacts with the rollers 25 of the shuttle takes the form of a helical trackway A shaft 80 is rotatably mounted in bearingsI 5| carried by the shuttle race i2 and v carries a spiral bar 62, as by means of posts 62.

The distance of the bar from the axis of the shaft 60 is everywhere constant, so that as it rotates aboutsaid axis, the bar, at its uppermost region, is adapted to contact the roller 25. In the embodiment shown, the opposite roller 25 coacts with a ilxed guide $4, parallel with the path of travel and hence as the shuttle enters the device the helical bar is cammed aside, rotating the shaft. A cable 65 is secured to a drum or sheave 66, fixed on the shaft 60, and may operate in a manner similar to that of cables I4 in Figs. 1 to 4 to stretch a spring device S, the spring only being indicated in Fig..8. i y

As will be seen in Fig. 5, the initial portion a of thetrackway 62 is substantially parallelto the path of travel of the approaching shuttle and normally at such a position as to be onlylightly brushed by the .roller 25 upon first contact. This normal or idle position is maintained by a limit device which may take the form of a stop pin 'lll carried by the trackway and adapted to contact a fixed member such as the shuttle race I2. The trackway at' first curves gently from the initial region and then more abruptly in the region b. As the shuttle roller; as shown in Fig. `6, progresses farther and farther along this curve, the kinetic energy of the flying shuttle is transferred into potential energy of the spring device S.,

Just as its available store of energy is expended, the shuttle passes a transition point c and comes to rest at a dwelld of the trackway and against the stop 26. This final position is illustrated in Fig, '7. As in the case of the plate cams of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the region d may have a slight reverse taperv so as to maintain the shuttle against the stop.

Upon ejecting the shuttle, the stop 26 is moved inwardly as by the mechanism of Fig. l, to a position where the roller 25 is acted upon by the spiral trackway. Here again the action is thatA of an ejected melon seed, the spring device S forcibly revolving the trackway 62 to impart velocity to the shuttle.

In Fig. 9, a further modification of my invention is illustrated, this embodiment utilizing two opposing spiral trackways 62, as shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive; these corresponding to the two opposing cam plates I0, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. A pair of cables 65 lead downwardly and may be conveniently secured to a bellcrank such as that at I8 in Figs. l and 3, or directly to spring device S, Fig. 8.

vOther forms and arrangements of parts may be utilized to apply the melon-seed drive" principle of the invention to a shuttle and it is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

I claim:

1. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms having a source of power comprising a shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse the race in alternate directions, shuttle receiving and throwing means at each side of said race comprising a cam element. the inner surfacce of which is engaged by anti-friction means carried by a lateral outer surface of the received shuttle, resilient means associated with said cam element tending to force a portion of said element to an inwardly disposed position from which it is laterally outwardly displaced by the reception of the oncoming shuttle, the engaged surface-s of said received shuttle and of said cam element being suitably correlatively formed as to frictionally initially restrain the received shuttle from rebounding movement and the resilient means being tensed by the outward movement of said cam element, shuttle throwing means deriving energy from the said loom source of power to displace said cam element inwardly to exert squeezing force on the received end of the shuttle to forcibly shoot the shuttle from the displaced cam element to the opposite side of the loom race.

2. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms having a source of power, comprising a shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse the race in alternately different directions, shuttle receiving and throwing means at eachk end of saidurace comprising a plurality of elements eachhaving inwardly facing surfaces engaged by anti-friction means carried by laterally outer surfaces dis-y posed on either side of said raceway of the received shuttle, resilient means associated with said elements ktending to force them to an inwardly disposed position, from which they are outwardly laterally displaced by the reception of the prow of the incoming shuttle, the engaged surfaces'of saidreceived shuttle and of said elements being suitably correlatively formed as to frictionally initially restrain the received shuttle from rebounding movement and the resilient means being tensed by the outward movement of said elements to momentarily store most of the l kinetic energy of the stopped shuttle as potential energy in said resilient means, and shuttle ejecting means deriving an additional amount of energy from the loom source of power, and timed by the loom mechanism to contractingly displace said elements inwardly to increase the shuttle squeezing force thereof on the received end of the shuttle, the engaged surfaces of the shuttle and of said elements being cooperatively vso formed and relatively so displaced by said shuta cylindrical cam element having a helical track;v l way, said shuttle having anti-friction means carriedthereby adapted to engage said helical trackway and resilient means associated with said cylindrical cam element whereby, as the oncoming shuttle progresses further along the helical trackway, the kinetic energy of the ying shuttle is stored in said resilient means, shuttle throwing means driving an additional amount of energy from the loom source of power adapted to revolve said helical trackway to exert squeezing pressure upon said shuttle whereby said shuttle is forcibly transversely squeezed and shot from the helical trackway to the opposite side of the loom, the loom source of power being aided by said stored energy in said resilient means.

4. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms comprising a shuttle race, a loom source of power, a shuttle adapted to traverse said race in alternate directions, said shuttle having anti-friction means carried thereby, means for receiving and throwing said shuttle disposed at each end of said race and comprising a pair of cylindrical cam elements each having a helical trackway associated therewith and adapted to be rotated about itsassociated cylindrical cam element whereby, as the oncoming shuttle progresses further along each of said helical trackways, the kineticenergy of the flying shuttle is stored in said resilient means associated with each of said cylinders, shuttle `throwing means deriving an additional amount of energy from the loom source of power adapted to revolve each of said helical trackways to'exert squeezing pressurev loom source of power`being aided by said stored energy inrsaid resilient means.

5. AIn a` loom, the combinationv of 'a source of power, a, shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse the said race in alternate. directions, means Q disposed position from which they are outwardly' and laterally displaced by the reception of the prow of the saidioncoming shuttle, the initially engaged surfaces of said cam elements being sub.-

stantially parallel with the ilightjof thershuttle adjacent curved surfaces of said; cam elements then being engaged, the engaged curved surfaces of said elements and said receiving shuttle being so yformed as to frictionally restrain the receiv-A ving'shuttle from movement in the opposite di-| rection, the resilient means associated with said ing a cam element, said cam being so formed as to have its inner face disposedadjacent the shut. tle race and end portions thereof disposed substantially parallel thereto, intermediate portions Vof said inner face being curved, said cam being race, a shuttle adapted to traverse saidrrace in alternate directions, said shuttle having roller means carried thereby, shuttle receiving vand ejecting means at each end of said race comprising a pair of cam elements, each of said cams being so formed as to have an end portion thereof, disposed substantially parallel to the shuttle race and to eachother and intermediate curved surfaces and its other terminal portion further cam elements being adapted to momentarily store the kinetic energy of thereceiving ilying Vshuttle and transform` saidA kinetic energy into potential energy, shuttle ejecting means deriving an additional amountof energy from the loom force of power adapted to co-operate with said resilient means in effecting ilight of said shuttle in the opposite direction, said potential energy being transformed into kinetic energy upon the application of the shuttle electing means, the cam elements adapted to be resiliently urged inwardly to effect squeezing pressurel on the receiving end of the shuttle to forcibly shoot the shuttle from said cam elements to the other side ofthe loom race.

6. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms having a source of power comprising a shuttle yeci to exert squeezing pressure upon said shuttle whereby said 'shuttle is expressed with force towards the other side of the race.

7. A shuttle operating mechanism vfor looms having a source of power comprising a shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse said race in alternate directions, said shuttle having roller means carried thereby, shuttle receiving and electing means at one side of said race comprising a cam element, said cam being so formed-as to have an end portion disposed substantially parallel to the shuttlerace and an intermediate curved surface whereat said shuttle is arranged to engage said cam by means oi' said'roller means with gradually varying pressure, storage means associated with said cam whereby :energy which is absorbed by said cam is received and stored in said storage means.V

8. A shuttle operating mechanism forlooms having a sourceof power comprising a shuttle disposed substantially parallel tothe race, each of said cams being pivotally mounted upon the race and adapted to have resilient means associated therewith normally urging'the said cams oi' the pair of cam elements towards each other whereby uponengagement of the shuttle with the forward end portions of said cams said cams are forced outwardly relative vto each other and pressure between the shuttlevand cam elements is increased upon further travel of the shuttle towards home position, the rearward end portions-of the cam surfaces retaining said shuttle at rest.

10. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms having a source of power comprising a shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse said race in alternate directions, said shuttle having roller means carried thereby,` shuttle receiving and electing means at each end of said race compris- .ing a pair of ca m elements, each of said cams the forward endportions of said cams said cams race, a shuttleA adapted to traverse said race in alternate directions, said shuttle having roller means carried thereby,` shuttle receiving ,and ejecting means at one side of said race comprisare forced outwardly relative to each other and pressure between the `shuttle and cam elements is increased upon further travel of the shuttle towards "home" position, stop means associated with said shuttle race adapted to receive the prow of said shuttle, the rearward end portions of the Vcam surfaces engaging said roller means when said shuttle comes to rest.

il. The process of receiving and discharging a shuttle from one end of a loom race to the other consisting in receiving it at one side of the race with squeezing pressure, exerting force from opposite sides oi' said race in oblique directions to said shuttle, the components of said force transverse to the shuttle race being equal *and components oi' force parallel to said race being additive to expel the shuttleV and cause the same to be expressed across said race. s

l2. The process of receiving anddischarging a shuttle from one end of the loom race to the opposite end thereof which comprises applying force to a shuttle to pick the same across a shuttle race, receiving said shuttle at the ends of said race with squeezing pressure, further exerting additional squeezing pressure upon said shuttle to expel said shuttle from said end of said race and causing the same to traverse the said race in an opposite direction.

13. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms having a source of power comprising a shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse said race in alternate directions. said4 shuttle having roller means carried thereby, shuttle receiving and ejecting means at one side of said race comprising a cam element, said cam having a portion inwardly curved relative to the shuttle race, said cam being pivotally mounted at one end upon the shuttle race, said roller means being arranged and adapted to engage said cam element and to be received thereby with gradually varying pressure, said shuttle roller means forcing the curved portion of the cam element outwardly withrespect to said shuttle race.

14. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms having a source of power comprising a shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse the said race in alternate directions, shuttle throwing means. a cam disposed'at an end of said loom race, said cam having an inner curved surface and an end portion that is substantially parallel with the night of the shuttle, roller means carried by said shuttle being adapted to engage the cam on said end portion of said cam and thereafter engaging said curved surface of said cam whereby wedging action is exerted upon said oncoming shuttle, the roller relieving frictional engagement with the curved surfaces of the cam, resilient means associated with said cam elements, whereby energy is absorbed through the cam, the kinetic energy of the oncoming shuttle being stored as potential energy in the resilient means utilized upon the application of additional energy from said shuttle throwing means' to effect opposite vflight movement of said shuttle.

15. A shuttle operating mechanism for looms having a loom source of power comprising a shuttle race, a shuttle adapted to traverse said race in alternate directions, roller means disposed between the shuttle and means for receiving and eiecting said shuttle, the said shuttle receiving and ejecting means disposed at one side of said race and comprising a cam element, said roller means disposed between said cam element shuttle engages said cam element and is received thereby with gradually increasing pressure.

DAVID C. CHURCHILL.

'Patent N0.` 2,560,050.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION, l octeber' 10,' 19ML DAVID'C. CHURCHILL.

It 'is hereby-certified that error appearsA in the printed specification of the abvelnmered patent requiring correction as fellows: Page h, first column, 11n@ 11 claim 5, arte; "reception of" insert anti-friction means carried by; and -tht the s'aid Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein'ihat the slxme'mayl conform to the reccrd of the case in the Patent Office.

signed 4mi sealed this 6th dew of Februay, A. D. 19u5.

Leslie Frazer (seal) Acting dommiss'oner f Patents. I 

